Many free editing tools destroy the quality and aesthetics of a good video with branded watermarks. Sure, it’s an easy way to market the software maker’s product to potential customers. But to your audience, it can seem unprofessional and out of place.

But alas, you’ll be happy to know that not all free editing software comes with a big, ugly watermark. Below are your best options.

10 best free video editor software with no watermark

1.‎ Descript

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Descript is an all-in-one collaborative hub for video editing and audio editing with a suite of powerful features for content creators. Once you record or upload a file to Descript’s video editor, the software will automatically transcribe your footage into a script. 

To cut and trim the footage, you just edit the text script like you would a Word document, removing awkward pauses and correcting any audio mistakes. Edits you make to the script reflect instantly on your audio and video, making editing more intuitive and efficient.

Descript’s free plan includes access to all premium video editing features. You can add titles, captions, transitions, overlays, keyframe animations, and fix mistakes in the recording with an AI clone of your voice, just to name a few. Then, export videos to a variety of file formats or publish your project to other platforms, like YouTube and Wistia—without a watermark.

While the free version limits you to one no watermark video export per month, it’s nothing compared to all the powerful premium features at your disposal. Plus, your video exports with a 720p resolution, which is pretty good and provides a crisp image on most displays. 

Best features

• Filler word removal: Removes filler words like “ums”, “uhs”, and “you knows” with one click
• AI features: Built-in AI-powered tools to speed up your workflow and create videos that look and sound good
• Remote recording: You can record multitrack video and audio from anywhere
• Studio Sound: Removes background noise and enhances speech to produce studio-quality sound—in one click
• Screen recording: Captures your screen and computer or microphone audio
• Multi-user collaboration: You can collaborate with others on audio and video projects in real-time

Pros

• User-friendly 
• Intuitive, text-based editing
• Automated transcription
• Includes AI features as standard
• Built to be collaborative
• Offers helpful tutorials

Cons

• No mobile app for Android or iOS devices
• Limited watermark-free video exports

Compatibility: Browser, Mac, Microsoft Windows

Use Descript if:

If you’re a beginner video editor who doesn’t need all the bells and whistles just yet, consider Descript. The interface is incredibly easy to learn, and advanced features are still there once you want to level up—meaning you’ll never have to worry about moving your projects to a new video editor once you become more confident with video editing. Students, educators, and nonprofits can also apply for a discount. 

Descript is also a top choice for forward-thinking creators who want to incorporate AI tools into their workflows. The video editor is jam-packed with AI features that can remove background noise, fix audio mistakes, and apply a virtual green screen—all of which are included in the free plan.

Want to join the thousands of creators already using Descript’s video editing app? Take a tour of the dashboard today.

2.‎ OpenShot

Best open-source editor

OpenShot is an open-source video editing program that also won’t place a watermark on your video exports. But that’s not all OpenShot is good for. 

The cross-platform video editor offers many ways to cut your video in a simple user interface using basic features, like the trim tool. Then, you can text, apply filters, and other effects from OpenShot’s vast collection.

Getting started with the software is easy. Just drag and drop a video or audio file into OpenShot and start editing your content. 

Add titles using one of OpenShot’s templates or make your own, render beautiful 3D animated effects, like flying text, snow, or lens flares, or add time and slow motion effects to add drama and intrigue to your videos.

Best features

• Curve-based keyframe animations
• 3D animated titles and effects
• Video transitions 
• Unlimited layers/tracks
• Compositing tools
• Title and subtitle templates 

Pros

• Easy to use
• Unlimited watermark-free video exports
• Simple, intuitive interface
• Includes advanced features
• Available in 70+ languages

Cons

• No mobile app
• Dated interface
• Limited effects and enhancements
• Outdated animations 

Compatibility: Mac, Windows, Linux, ChromeOS

Use OpenShot if:

OpenShot is a good option if drag and drop video editors are your thing. It offers beginner to intermediate video editing capabilities, and its free plan makes it popular amongst small business owners and newer creators who want to export watermark-free videos at no cost. 

3.‎‎ VSDC Video Editor Pro

Best for dedicated Windows users

VSDC is a free, non-linear video editing suite that works well for basic tasks like cutting, rotating, and cropping videos. 

The software brings a set of tools for editing videos, recording voiceovers, improving audio, and capturing your screen using its screen or voice recorder. VSDC also has native video and audio converter tools for exporting your video content in different formats.

Within the free version, VSDC also offers advanced features like masking, motion tracking, stabilization, and audio waveform.

Enhance your video by fixing underexposed and overexposed videos and correcting midtones, highlights, and shadows in VSDC’s editor before publishing your polished video clip.

Best features

• Native video, screen, and voice recorder
• Color correction
• Multi-color Chroma Key
• Picture-in-picture and split-screen effects
• Variety of trendy filters, transitions, and effects

Pros

• Non-linear editing
• Works on outdated PCs
• Convenient export profiles 
• Wide range of editing features

Cons

• No macOS app
• Slightly outdated interface

Compatibility: Windows, iOS (iPhone only)

Use VSDC Video Editor Pro if:

Consider VSDC if you don’t mind spending some time learning new software. The interface can appear overwhelming at first, but by spending some time getting to grips with the video editor, you can take advantage of its intermediate and advanced features.

4.‎‎ VideoPad Video Editor

Best for remastering videos

VideoPad is an intuitive, full-featured video editor for creating professional quality videos. 

You can create videos or capture content from a webcam or CD/DVD and add music, narration, transitions, and subtitles. Then, burn your completed video clips to DVD or export to save on your device or share online. 

The free version is available for non-commercial use only, making it ideal for beginners looking to make quick edits. Plus, it exports videos in all popular formats without watermarks. 

If you’ve been recording videos using a camcorder, you can use VideoPad to remaster your content and produce a masterpiece quickly and easily. 

Best features

• Library of professional video templates
• Camera shake reduction
• 360-degree editing
• 50+ effects and transitions
• Voiceover recording
• Video stabilization 

Pros

• User-friendly 
• Supports all popular video formats 
• Variety of transitions and visual effects

Cons

• Free version only for non-commercial use
• No mobile apps

Compatibility: Mac, Windows

Use VideoPad if:

You’re a hobbyist video creator that isn’t producing videos for professional use. VideoPad isn’t free for commercial use, but if you’re creating montages of home videos or shooting your first amateur movie, it’s worth considering.

5.‎‎ Shotcut 

Best for Chroma keying

Like OpenShot, Shotcut is a free, open-source video editor with simple editing tools and support for multiple video formats. 

The cross-platform video editor’s sleek, intuitive interface supports drag-and-drop functionality when uploading assets from your device. 

Shotcut offers several language options and can handle a wide range of media files. You can also control which features and displays should appear on the screen for a more streamlined editing layout. 

Best features

• Customizable interface
• Lossless transcoding
• Cross-platform and codec independent
• GPU processing
• Advanced audio effects
• Speed ramping

Pros

• Wide format support
• Unlimited no-watermark video exports
• Exports videos up to 4k resolution
• Include Blackmagic Design for input and preview monitoring

Cons

• Busy interface
• Lacks mobile apps
• No social media export presets 
• Slight learning curve

Compatibility: Mac, Windows, Linux

Use Shotcut if:

You want advanced filmmaking tools and don’t mind compromising on the look and feel of a sleek interface. Shotcut’s support for over 70 languages also makes it a good choice for filmmakers and businesses that want to translate their video content to reach international viewers.

6.‎‎ HitFilm Free

Best for visual effects

HitFilm is popular for its HitFilm Express video editing app, which has since been discontinued. 

But you can still use HitFilm Free—a multimedia editor for creating engaging videos with audio and visual effects. The free editing app offers basic editing tools, built-in sound effects and music, and ready-to-use customizable designs to create your videos.

The visual effects editor lets you drag and drop your video file onto a timeline, add special effects, and titles, then export your video files without watermarks. 

You can also use HitFilm to perform color correction, using presets, curves, color scopes, and Hue & RGB keys for a nearly cinema-level outcome.

While HitFilm Free doesn’t export with watermarks, they’ll appear in your videos if you use a premium effect or feature.

Best features

• Extensive effects library
• Freehand path tool
• Advanced tracking and animation
• Plugin compatibility for 3D object creation
• Sky replacement and masking tools
• Beginner tutorials

Pros

• Versatile toolkit
• User-friendly interface 
• Handful of stock assets

Cons

• Slight learning curve for beginners
• Many useful features export with watermarks
• May consume significant amounts of storage space

Compatibility: Mac, Windows (64-bit operating systems only)

Use HitFilm if:

You don’t mind paying for a video editing software and have a device (such as a Mac or Windows computer) with plenty of storage space for a new app. HitFilm is great for beginners, too, since it has a versatile toolkit and plenty of tutorials to get you started. 

7.‎‎ ActivePresenter

Best for eLearning videos

ActivePresenter has a familiar PowerPoint-like interface, making it easy to use and navigate. The free video editor is built with hobbyists, teachers, and students in mind, and offers a native screen recorder for creating, recording, and editing digital training content. 

You can record everything on your computer screen with high video quality. Then cut, join, split, or change speed/volume using its basic video editing apps. Add themes and colors, transitions, animations, annotations, and other special effects to create engaging, easy-to-understand content for your audience. 

When you’re finished, export your video to popular formats, including MP4 and WebM. 

Best features

• eLearning authoring tools
• Interactive course design templates
• Flexible export options
• Screen recording 
• Interactive assessments and educational games
• Video recording with multiple sources

Pros

• Unlimited trial time
• No adware
• Smart screen capture technology

Cons

• Basic screen recording and editing
• Lacks mobile apps

Compatibility: Mac, Windows

Use ActivePresenter if:

You’re producing educational content such as explainer videos or screen recorded tutorials. ActivePresenter blends recording and editing into one, and supports exporting watermark-free videos as MP4 and WebM files (which most learning management systems accept).

8.‎‎ Avidemux

Best for beginners

Avidemux is another free, open-source video editor for basic cutting, trimming, splitting, merging, encoding, and filtering tasks. The software supports multiple file types, including MP4, ASF, MPEG, AVI, and more using various codecs.

You can automate tasks using the tool’s job queue, projects, and scripting features, and edit videos easily. Avidemux also offers GPU acceleration, which ensures your videos render and export at high speeds. 

The software has a clean interface, but it’s pretty old-fashioned and not intuitive like other video editing tools. While Avidemux is regarded as a non-linear video editor, it lacks a timeline editing panel, so you can’t add separate audio and video tracks to it. 

Best features

• Audio track addition
• Video merging and compression
• Custom scripts and filters
• Sharpening and de-noising filter

Pros

• Easy to use
• Native video converter

Cons

• Lacks creative effects and transitions 
• No timeline panel
• Some features are hidden or hard to find
• Dated, unintuitive interface

Compatibility: Mac, Windows, Linux, BSD

Use Avidemux if:

You have some coding knowledge and want to find an open source video editor that you can modify or customize. Alternatively, you might want to consider Avidemux if you want something free and simple to learn. While old-fashioned, the interface is easy to get the hang of.

9.‎‎‎ Adobe Premiere Rush

Best mobile editor 

Adobe Premiere Rush is a free desktop and mobile video editor for publishing videos on the go. It's like a lite version of Adobe Premiere Pro, except Rush works best for beginner editors, while Premiere Pro is more for experienced or pro-level editors. 

The fun, intuitive, and fast tool lets you shoot, edit, arrange, compress, and share videos in high-quality and multiple-screen formats. This way, it's easier to share your videos on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Premiere Rush has a variety of in-app assets, like transition graphics, audio, and animated titles, giving you the creative flexibility to produce amazing videos with no watermarks. Its desktop and mobile tools make it easier to create video any time—no matter where you work. 

Best features

• Built-in templates, effects, and transitions
• All-in-one tool for editing and sharing
• Royalty-free sound effects and loops
• Preset and manual color correction
• Robust color grading

Pros

• Unlimited no-watermark video exports
• Friendly interface
• Free soundtrack library
• Available in multiple languages
• Upload videos directly to social media platforms

Cons

• Fewer desktop features
• Requires big storage space

Compatibility: Mac, Windows, iOS, Android

Use Adobe Premiere Rush if:

You’re already using the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of products; Adobe Premiere Rush comes included with the Creative Cloud subscription. It’s also a good option for students and educators since Adobe offers discounted subscriptions where qualifying people can save over 60%.

10‎‎. Canva

Best online-only editor

Canva is a free online video editor with powerful editing tools and functional features for editing and collaborating with others in real-time, on any device. 

If you’re new to video editing or you want to cut clips in seconds, you’ll find Canva easy to use. Click and drag your video into the intuitive video editor or directly into a video template. Then, explore its design tools and other elements to create eye-catching videos. 

Canva also lets you add collaborators to your design and stay organized using document folders. When you’re done editing your video, you can download it to your device or share it to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, or Tumblr.

Unlike other fully-fledged free editors, Canva doesn’t offer Hollywood-level features, tools, and video effects. 

You can export unlimited videos without watermarks for free. But if you include any premium assets in your video, you’ll have to pay to remove their watermarks.

Best features

• Wide range of templates
• Timeline editing
• Extensive media library
• Animation effects
• Video background remover
• Collaboration tools

Pros

• Easy to use
• Various export options
• Variety of transitions and effects
• Shares directly to popular social media platforms

Cons

• Best features require a paid plan 
• Doesn’t publish to Vimeo
• Limiting options for pro-level users
• Only exports videos to MP4 and GIF formats

Compatibility: Works on any device or browser

Use Canva if:

Canva is a great option if you’re looking for a full suite of video and photo editing tools. Not just limited to video editing, Canva allows you to edit photos, produce GIFs, and design logos. It’s also popular amongst small business owners who want to keep visual creatives consistent thanks to Canva’s brand kit feature. 

What makes good video editing software?

When looking for the best video editing software, there are a few factors to consider:

• Simple interface. Good editing software has an easy-to-navigate interface. This means clear menus, accessible tools, and a layout that makes sense. You should be able to develop your own editing process quickly and efficiently.
• Advanced features. Even if you’re new to video editing, you still want advanced features you can grow into, like audio mixing and color correction. That way, you don’t need to switch software as your skills improve. 
• Performance and speed. A lot of free software experiences frequent crashes and slowdowns, especially with HD or 4K video files. The good news is, people talk about it online. Read through reviews to see which software crashes often (and don’t choose that one). 
• Learning tools and support. It's also important to have built-in tutorials and public YouTube videos available. These resources can help you learn the software quickly and troubleshoot any issues along the way. Bonus points if the company has fabulous customer support. 
• Variety of formats. Make sure your software supports a wide range of video formats. This flexibility lets you import footage from different devices and export videos in the best format for your projects. 
• Compatibility. Make sure the software is compatible with your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux) and other software you use. Direct uploading with popular online platforms like YouTube or Wistia is another plus.

Video editing software FAQ

Which is the best free video editor without a watermark?

Descript is the best free video editor for creating and producing high-quality videos, no matter your experience level. Its base level plan includes AI features as standard, along with access to all its premium video editing features.

What is the best free video editing software with no watermark for Windows?

Whether you’re using Windows 10 or 11, Descript is the best free video editing software with no watermarks. With the free plan, you get one watermark-free video export per month in 720p resolution, which offers crisp quality on most devices. And, you can still access Descript’s intuitive editor, AI tools, Studio Sound to enhance your audio, and automated transcription to generate captions and subtitles for your content—all in one platform. 

What is the best free video editing software with no watermark for Mac?

Descript is the best free video editing software for Mac. It’s easy to use to create high-quality videos you can share on social media platforms or publish on your website. Other free video editing tools you can use are Adobe Premiere Rush, Lightworks, Davinci Resolve, and Apple iMovie. 

Does Descript have a watermark?

Descript’s free plan offers one watermark-free video export per month. If you’re a basic member of a Creator or Pro drive, videos will export with a Descript watermark, too. Upgrading to Descript’s affordable subscription plans gives you access to unlimited watermark-free video exports, longer transcription hours, and 4k video export resolution, among other features.

How can I edit my video with no watermark?

To edit your video with no watermark, use Descript. The base-level plan offers access to all premium video editing features and one watermark-free video export. But you can upgrade to a paid plan from $12 per user per month and enjoy unlimited watermark-free video exports.

1. Upload a pre-recorded video or record a video in Descript.
2. Crop, trim, resize, edit, and add enhancements like filters, sound, and other effects.
3. Export and save your video or publish it on YouTube, Wistia, and other platforms.